Knowledge, support key to caring for autistic child

Meredith Gardner

Sunday

Apr 27, 2008 at 12:01 AMApr 27, 2008 at 9:00 PM

When 9-year-old Aiedan Klein goes to the grocery store, she might want to ride in the cart. Or she might sit on the floor because it feels cool against her skin. She could start meowing. She might run off from her parents, or she could ignore them altogether.

When 9-year-old Aiedan Klein goes to the grocery store, she might want to ride in the cart. Or she might sit on the floor because it feels cool against her skin.

She could start meowing. She might run off from her parents, or she could ignore them altogether.

The average onlooker might see Aiedan as a naughty child in need of discipline. But in reality, her behavior has a more fundamental cause.

When she was 3 years old, Aiedan was diagnosed with autism.

Her mother, Melinda Klein, said she always knew Aiedan was a special child. She was born premature, and as she developed, Aiedan started doing unusual things, like spinning and rocking repeatedly.

For her age, her verbalization wasn't very clear, Melinda Klein said, and she liked to run.

"We had this feeling from the beginning," she said of herself and her husband, Virgil. "We knew there was something. Autism was kind of scary because we really hadn't heard a whole lot about it."

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, autism spectrum disorders cause "severe and pervasive impairment to thinking, feeling, language and the ability to relate to others." They range from the severe autistic disorder to the milder Asperger syndrome. Also included in the spectrum are two rare disorders, Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder.

Because autism is on a "spectrum" of disorders, every child experiences it differently.

"When you've met a child with autism, you've met one child with autism, because they're so different," said Diana Wing, an organizer of the Grand Island, Neb., Autism Support Group.

Autism begins before age 3 and lasts throughout a child's life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is currently no cure for the disorder, although an estimated one in 150 8-year-old children have an autism spectrum disorder. For most people with autism, the cause is not known.

Some parents and family members of children with autism believe the disorder was caused by a vaccine the child received. But to date, there is no definite, scientific proof that a vaccine or combination of vaccines can cause autism, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Children are typically diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders during their early childhood years, with their parents often the first to notice a problem.

Some indicators of the disorders include poor eye contact, inability to play with toys, attachment to one toy or object, unresponsiveness to name and loss of language or social skills.

"A lot of people think because a lot of our kids have social issues, they think they're naughty and they think they need to be disciplined or a good spanking or a good talking to," Wing said. "Our kids aren't naughty or misbehaving. They just need to be taught social skills, and that's an ongoing process as they get older and are exposed to different situations."

All parents, especially those who have concerns about their child's development, should have their doctor perform a developmental screening during a regular "well child" visit, according to the NIMH.

If the doctor identifies a potential problem, a multidisciplinary team of professionals can work to give a neurologic and genetic assessment.

In Aiedan's case, she experiences seizure and has lost the ability to speak. In addition to prescribed medications, she now undergoes speech, physical and occupational therapy. She also attends an elementary school where she is assisted by a special education teacher and paraprofessional.

Since every child with autism experiences the disorder differently, treatment plans must be developed on an individual basis. They can include a combination of medications, special education and therapy, among other options.

Parents are encouraged to look for local support groups and early intervention programs if their child has been diagnosed with autism.

Wing has a 9-year-old grandson who has autism, and his diagnosis sparked her involvement in her local autism support group.

"Once you get that diagnosis, it's like being hit in the head and you're like, ’Oh my gosh. What do I do? Where do I go?'" Wing said. "That support group was a lifesaver for my husband and I."

The group has also been helpful to the Klein family, which has developed a unique take on Aiedan's autism.

"Autism can be fun," Melinda Klein said. "That's a really strange thing to say, but you see the world in such a different way.

"Autism can be thought of as a blessing or a curse. We prefer a blessing. A child is a child regardless, and they have so many different things to show us."

The Grand Island (Neb.) Independent

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.